Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellinzona and Meilen Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellinzona and Meilen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,886 per month in Bellinzona vs $3,552 in Meilen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,897 per month in Bellinzona vs $5,476 in Meilen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,908 per month in Bellinzona vs $7,400 in Meilen, rent included.

Bellinzona costs about 9% more than Meilen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bellinzona and Meilen sit above the global median – Bellinzona by 191%, Meilen by 166%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.64 CHF 24.77

$30.90 CHF 24.98

-0.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 CHF 90.9

$149 CHF 120

-24.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.84 CHF 15.23

$18.67 CHF 15.09

0.91%

Cappuccino

$4.47 CHF 3.62

$6.29 CHF 5.08

-28.93%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 CHF 3.86

$5.90 CHF 4.77

-18.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CHF 3.22

$5.15 CHF 4.16

-22.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.59 CHF 6.13

$8.53 CHF 6.90

-11.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 CHF 4.91

$7.34 CHF 5.93

-17.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.78

$2.25 CHF 1.82

-1.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 CHF 3.14

$3.30 CHF 2.67

17.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 CHF 4.28

$4.12 CHF 3.33

28.64%

Eggs

$8.00 CHF 6.47

$7.22 CHF 5.84

10.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.22 CHF 23.62

$29.95 CHF 24.22

-2.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$37.01 CHF 29.92

$32.90 CHF 26.60

12.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.21 CHF 38.17

$49.64 CHF 40.14

-4.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 CHF 3.00

$4.21 CHF 3.40

-12.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 CHF 1.72

$2.49 CHF 2.02

-14.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 CHF 2.31

$3.16 CHF 2.56

-9.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.61 CHF 6.15

$4.99 CHF 4.03

52.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$2.61 CHF 2.11

-13.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.97

$2.28 CHF 1.84

6.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 CHF 2.06

$2.57 CHF 2.08

-1.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 CHF 1.36

$1.11 CHF 0.89

51.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.08 CHF 8.95

$11.06 CHF 8.94

0.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.37 CHF 14.85

$13.69 CHF 11.07

34.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.95 CHF 3.19

$2.21 CHF 1.79

78.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 CHF 3.50

$2.35 CHF 1.90

84.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.08 CHF 4.91

$3.99 CHF 3.22

52.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.7 CHF 79.0

$98.3 CHF 79.5

-0.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 CHF 5.64

$6.93 CHF 5.60

0.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.47 CHF 3.61

$4.31 CHF 3.49

3.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 CHF 48.99

$80.4 CHF 65.0

-24.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 CHF 1.73

$2.22 CHF 1.79

-4.05%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$40.5K CHF 32.8K

$40.3K CHF 32.6K

0.53%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$37.8K CHF 30.6K

$39.4K CHF 31.8K

-3.93%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$296 CHF 239

$258 CHF 208

14.78%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$68.2 CHF 55.2

$58.9 CHF 47.61

15.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 46.99

$59.0 CHF 47.66

-1.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 CHF 90.8

$89.4 CHF 72.3

25.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.7 CHF 52.3

$63.5 CHF 51.3

1.97%

Cinema Ticket

$23.08 CHF 18.66

$26.92 CHF 21.77

-14.26%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,862 CHF 1,506

$2,828 CHF 2,287

-34.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K CHF 28.2K

$38.6K CHF 31.2K

-9.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$122 CHF 98.7

$139 CHF 112

-12.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.48 CHF 39.20

$62.1 CHF 50.2

-21.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$157 CHF 127

$146 CHF 118

7.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 153

$199 CHF 161

-4.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,865 CHF 1,508

$1,724 CHF 1,394

8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 CHF 1,411

$1,466 CHF 1,185

19.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 CHF 2,290

$2,868 CHF 2,319

-1.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,010 CHF 2,433

$2,461 CHF 1,990

22.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K CHF 11.2K

$15.9K CHF 12.9K

-12.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.5K CHF 8,486

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

-16.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,045 CHF 4,887

$8,271 CHF 6,687

-26.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

2.09

19.62%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bellinzona: July 14, 2026

Last update for Meilen: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,865 in Bellinzona versus $1,724 in Meilen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Meilen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $112 in Bellinzona versus $149 in Meilen. Groceries tell a different story – $716 in Bellinzona vs $657 in Meilen – so Meilen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bellinzona vs Meilen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,886 in Bellinzona, $3,552 in Meilen – roughly 9% apart. Bellinzona costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,829 per month in Bellinzona and $5,328 in Meilen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Meilen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,886 in Bellinzona and $3,552 in Meilen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Meilen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,886 in Bellinzona and $3,552 in Meilen. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Meilen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Meilen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bellinzona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.